Author: openjargon

The Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) share price has climbed higher into the green in Wednesday morning trade.

At the time of writing, the ASX healthcare shares are up over 1% to $137.95 a piece.

Today’s increase means the shares have now rebounded around 53% from a 10-year low of just $90 each in late April.

The recovery has been pretty consistent, but there is a long way for the shares to go before they return to pre-2026 levels following a series of investor sell-offs earlier this year.

It’s been a difficult year for the medical hearing implant device company. Cochlear has suffered from a number of strong headwinds, including a sector-wide rotation away from ASX healthcare shares this year and some disappointing financial updates.

The Cochlear share price fell around 20% after the company released its half-year results in February, and the shares crashed another 41% in a day in late April after the company downgraded its guidance figures. 

What has driven the rebound?

There has clearly been a recovery of investor sentiment since April, and healthcare stocks have generally started attracting more interest from investors over the past couple of months.

In July, the company confirmed that its hearing implant systems will continue to be imported into the US duty-free after the US Government released its findings from a series of Section 301 investigations. The announcement helped ease US tariff issue concerns.

In mid-August, management posted its FY26 results. The announcement included underlying net profit of $322 million, down 22% but right at the top end of guidance.  

Looking ahead to FY27, Cochlear expects low-single-digit constant currency revenue growth and an underlying net profit between $330 million and $350 million. 

Investors were thrilled with the results and rushed to snap up the shares.

Now the question is, can the Cochlear share price keep climbing? Or is another crash coming?

Here’s what the experts think.

Can the Cochlear share price climb higher?

Looking ahead, I still see Cochlear as a strong, globally dominant business with its long-term outlook intact. I think the steep sell-off this year was overdone, and that the share price could quietly keep climbing higher.

But at the time of writing, it looks like the experts aren’t convinced. It looks like many are questioning whether Cochlear shares can stage a meaningful recovery over the next 12 months.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on Cochlear shares. But the $126.07 average target price now implies a potential 8% downside from the current trading price.

TradingView data is a little more positive. Again, the majority of analysts have a hold rating on the shares. The $142.26 average target price implies a potential 4% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

The post Cochlear share price rebounds 53% from 10-year low: Can it keep climbing? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares I think could return 10%+
• Cochlear vs Pro Medicus: Which beaten-down ASX healthcare share is the better buy today?
• 2 ASX shares I’d buy before they return to their 52-week highs
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• CSL led the ASX healthcare shares rebound. Can it continue?

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Cochlear. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

At age 67, Australians could be eligible to receive the Age Pension payment.

This is a fortnightly sum, paid by Centrelink, to help older individuals fund their retirement. It’s an excellent tool, but is it enough to be able to afford the lifestyle you want?

Let’s take a look.

How much is the Age Pension?

The maximum fortnightly Age Pension payment will go up next week to $1,237.70 for individuals. Couples will soon get up to $933 per person per fortnight. 

This totals $32,180 per year for singles, and $48,516 per year for couples combined.

These figures include the maximum basic rate, the maximum pension supplement, and the energy supplement.

But, not everyone will get it. 

Eligibility for the Age Pension is heavily dependent on your income level and the assets you own.

It is possible to earn a part-payment if your income and/or assets are over the threshold, and the amount is generally calculated on a sliding scale.

How much does it cost to retire?

According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), there are two main retirement lifestyle brackets in Australia: modest and comfortable.

A modest retirement is one that allows you to meet essential living costs. It assumes you’ll have enough money to fund basic costs like basic health insurance, essential utilities, and grocery expenses. It leaves a little room for infrequent, low-cost leisure activities and perhaps the occasional budget meal out. But it doesn’t account for funds for travel, and leaves only a very limited discretionary budget. 

ASFA estimates that a modest retirement will cost approximately $36,548 per year for singles and around $52,690 for a couple combined. These figures assume you own your home outright (so additional mortgage or rental costs will be on top) and that you’ll receive a part Age Pension. 

ASFA defines a comfortable retirement as one that allows Australians to maintain a good standard of living. It covers expenses like top-tier private health insurance, a reasonable car, and regular leisure activities. It also includes money for home repairs and renovations, some meals out, and maybe even an occasional holiday.

The data shows that a comfortable retirement is estimated to cost around $56,166 per year for singles and $78,998 for couples. Again, it assumes you’ll receive a part Age Pension and that you own your home in full.

The verdict

No, the Australian Age Pension isn’t enough to retire comfortably. In fact, it is even below the forecasted cost of a modest retirement. 

For a modest retirement, the gap is around $4,400 per year for singles and $4,200 for couples combined.

For a comfortable retirement, the gap is even wider, at around $24,000 per year for singles and roughly $30,500 for couples combined.

This means you’ll need superannuation or alternative savings to bridge the difference between the Age Pension payment and the realistic costs of retirement. 

The post Is the Australian Age Pension enough to retire comfortably? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much income could a $1.2 million superannuation balance generate?
• Why I’d buy and hold BHP shares for 10 years
• 3 ASX shares I think could return 10%+
• Cochlear share price rebounds 53% from 10-year low: Can it keep climbing?
• Two broker upgrades put CSL shares back in focus

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are having a choppy session on Tuesday.

The CSL share price climbed as high as $177 in early trade but has since given back those gains, now flat at $174.30.

This comes as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slips a little further into the red, down 0.1% to 8,670 points at the time of writing.

Still, CSL shares have had a much better run over the past month after a tough first half of 2026.

And with two brokers upgrading the stock overnight, there’s a bit more for investors to think about.

Brokers are getting more positive

According to The Australian, Barrenjoey has upgraded CSL to overweight with a $180 price target.

And RBC is even more positive, upgrading the stock to outperform and lifting its price target to $213.

That would put the shares more than 20% above where they trade today.

The broader broker picture is a bit more mixed, though.

TipRanks shows 11 recent analyst ratings on CSL, with 5 buys and 6 holds. The average 12-month price target is $172.92, which is basically where the shares are trading now.

But there are still some pretty bullish targets out there.

Jarden is at $207, Morgans is at $187.71, Canaccord is at $185, Morgan Stanley is at $182, and UBS is at $181.

At the lower end, Citi has a $160 target, Bell Potter is at $150, and Macquarie is down at $133.

Why I’m interested

I’m not interested in CSL just because a couple of brokers have upgraded the stock.

What I like more is that the business looks like it could finally be getting through some of the issues that have weighed on it.

FY26 revenue came in at US$15.8 billion, down 1% in constant currency, while underlying NPATA fell 2% to US$3.1 billion.

The statutory result looked a lot worse, with large impairments and restructuring costs pushing CSL to a US$2.6 billion loss.

But there were still some positives underneath the result.

Immunoglobulin revenue rose 7% over the year, channel inventory normalisation was completed, and CSL delivered US$176 million of savings during FY26.

Management is now targeting US$400 million of savings in FY27 and US$550 million by FY28.

Would I buy CSL shares?

Yes, I would.

CSL still has a few things to sort out, particularly around Vifor, albumin, and Seqirus, so I wouldn’t expect the recovery to be smooth from here.

Today’s early jump and quick reversal show there could still be plenty of volatility along the way.

But that doesn’t put me off.

CSL is still a business I’d be happy to own for the long term.

And at $174, I’d be happy to start with a smaller position around these levels and add to it over time.

The post Two broker upgrades put CSL shares back in focus appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is the CSL share price heading to $200?
• CSL shares have surged over 25%. Do brokers see more upside?
• CSL shares just fell 5% after a strong rally. Is the recovery losing steam?
• What Warren Buffett can teach Australians about superannuation
• Higher or lower: Where are CSL shares going next?

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Following a strong finish to August and start to September, the Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price went into sharp reverse over the past day.

On Tuesday, the world’s first and biggest crypto reached highs of US$79,419, which saw it up more than 25% in a month.

But then the bottom fell out, and the Bitcoin price plunged 5.7% to US$74,910.

At the time of writing on Wednesday morning, it’s recovered some of those losses, trading for US$75,796.

Taking a step back, that leaves the world’s top crypto down 34.2% since this time last year and down 40% from its all-time high of US$126,198, notched on 7 October 2025.

It’s been a similar story with the world’s second biggest crypto by market cap, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). On Tuesday, the Ethereum price reached US$2,598 before crashing 8.2% to US$2,358 overnight.

Ethereum is currently trading for US$2,399.

Ethereum hit its own record highs on 25 August 2025, when the token reached US$4,954. It’s now down 51.6% from that high water mark.

So, why have crypto investors suddenly favoured their sell buttons?

Why is the Bitcoin price under pressure?

The Bitcoin price is catching headwinds on several fronts.

First, crypto investors the world over had been hoping to see the United States Senate pass the Clarity Act on Tuesday.

If you’re not familiar with this bill, it’s intended to give the US SEC and the CFTC departments oversight into crypto trading. If passed, it could fully open the door to trading in cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum in US stock markets.

But it did not pass yesterday, failing to get the required 60 vote majority.

Commenting on the fallout from the bill’s stalled passage, Ayesha Kiani, chief operating officer at Monarq Asset Management, said (quoted by Bloomberg):

The failure to advance the Clarity Act prolongs a regulatory gap that has real consequences for where companies build, where capital is deployed, and how quickly institutional adoption moves in the US.

And crypto investors will likely now have to wait until at least 2027 before the bill is revisited.

“Market structure legislation is done for 2026, and the next realistic window is a new Congress,” Jasper De Maere, an over-the-counter trader at Wintermute, noted.

What else has got crypto investors jittery?

The Ethereum and Bitcoin prices are also facing headwinds from high US inflation, leading to increasing expectations of an interest rate hike from the US Federal Reserve.

Like most risk assets, Bitcoin has proven to be very sensitive to interest rate levels.

Commenting on the impact of the inflationary pressure and interest rate outlook on Bitcoin, Nischal Shetty, founder of WazirX, said (quoted by Moneycontrol):

These factors can restrict liquidity and reduce risk appetite across crypto markets. However, Bitcoin’s relative stability suggests underlying demand remains resilient. Overall, macro conditions remain restrictive, but crypto continues to absorb external pressure without a broader breakdown.

The post Why did the Bitcoin price just plunge 6%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Bitcoin is back below US$77,000. Is this an opportunity for ASX investors?
• Why is the Bitcoin price rocketing 16% this week?

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

A $650,000 superannuation balance is slightly above the current benchmark for a comfortable retirement.

It’s the type of nest egg that many Aussies aspire to have. They focus hard on building their superannuation balance, ensuring the fund is performing well, and adding extra voluntary contributions wherever they can.

It’s a solid plan. But did you know that if you invest your superannuation wisely, you could also generate a passive income to live off when it’s time to retire?

But how much passive income could a $650,000 balance realistically generate each month?

Let’s break it down.

What passive income can I earn off a $650,000 superannuation balance?

The math is simple. 

To calculate your potential passive income, you simply need to multiply your total superannuation balance by the overall dividend yield of your portfolio.

But the problem is that the answer varies widely depending on what that dividend yield is.

For example, $650,000 x 3% = $19,500 per year in dividend payments.

But if your portfolio has a slightly higher dividend yield of around 4%, your passive income will be higher. That’s because $650,000 x 4% = $26,000 per year in dividend payments. 

If your superannuation portfolio yields closer to 5%, you could earn $32,500 every year in dividend payments off the same superannuation balance ($650,000 x 5% = $32,500).

Then, at a 6% yield, you could earn an annual passive income of around $39,000, and at 7%, it could be even higher, at around $45,500.

And so on… 

As your dividend yield increases, the passive income you can earn from your $650,000 superannuation balance also increases.

Note too that these figures are based on cash dividends before any tax or franking credit benefits.

Give me some ideas of what ASX shares I can invest my superannuation in

There is a huge range of shares out there, and their dividend yields vary significantly.

Some of my top picks would be defensive stocks. These are companies whose earnings tend to remain relatively steady throughout times of economic instability. They typically operate in “non-discretionary” industries where demand remains relatively stable even when consumer confidence dips. 

Their stable nature means they can help reduce the volatility of an overall investment portfolio. This is particularly valuable during times when geopolitical tensions are ongoing and inflation is stubbornly high.

These can be supermarket, telecommunications, or infrastructure stocks. Demand for food items and essential services is generally stable throughout all sections of the economic cycle. Think Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG), and Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU). These shares yield between 3% and 6%.

Major blue chips like Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) are generally considered cyclical stocks but with strong defensive qualities (rather than pure defensive stocks). These types of shares are highly regarded for their dominant market position and stable dividends. At the time of writing, the shares yield around 3% to 4%.

Diversify your portfolio

Remember that if you want to aim for, say, a 5% yielding portfolio, not every stock in that portfolio has to yield 5%. You should aim for a diversified range of shares yielding varying amounts, which combined total 5%.

It’s also best to focus on a diverse range of high-quality businesses with strong balance sheets and stable earnings. Ideally, you want to focus on stocks that are most likely to stand the test of time.

And you don’t need to invest the whole sum in one go. Start with regular monthly investments and let compounding do some of the hard work for you.

The post How much passive income could I earn from a $650,000 superannuation balance? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How to make $26,000 of passive income from ASX shares
• Buy, hold, sell: Domino’s Pizza, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Westfarmers shares
• ASX 200 drops again as selling continues
• Woolworths vs Coles: Which supermarket giant is the better ASX buy?
• Worried about a recession? These ASX shares would be just fine

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) share price has crashed 6% in early morning trade on Wednesday. 

At the time of writing, the shares are changing hands at $37 a piece.

Despite the tumble, the shares are still up around 20% year to date and 24% higher than a year ago.

The decline comes off the back of the company’s Investor Day presentation, which was posted to the ASX ahead of the market open this morning.

What did James Hardie announce?

The cement manufacturer said it is seeing consistent demand for its products and is executing well in the areas it can control.

As a result, management is able to reaffirm the company’s second quarter and FY27 sales and adjusted EBITDA guidance (excluding Europe), and raise its FY27 free cash flow guidance to more than US$600 million, up from US$500 million+ previously. This is despite a continued challenging macro backdrop.

The company also revealed that it is targeting annual organic growth of 4% to 7% above market, with compounding earnings. 

Elsewhere, James Hardie said that it is accelerating the integration with AZEK, achieving faster-than-expected cost synergy targets. It now expects to complete the US$125 million cost synergy target a full year ahead of schedule, while revenue synergies are progressing as planned.

James Hardie is also pressing ahead with the divestment of its European operations for about US$980 million. The proceeds of which are already earmarked to pay down debt and fund share buybacks.

The announcement looks good on paper, so why are investors selling up?

What is spooking investors today?

The James Hardie share price had rallied strongly through June to August, reaching a 52-week high of $44.12 early last month. So it’s likely that investor expectations were already incredibly high. 

Investors may also have been disappointed that management reaffirmed its FY27 sales and adjusted EBITDA guidance rather than increasing it. 

It’s also possible that there is still some uncertainty about how quickly cost and revenue synergies from the AZEK acquisition can translate into earnings and cash flow.

What’s ahead for the James Hardie share price?

I expect we might see analysts and brokers revise or reaffirm their outlook for James Hardie shares in the coming days, following this morning’s announcement.

But at the time of writing, sentiment looks mostly very positive.

Market Index data shows brokers are currently split between a buy and hold rating. But the $39.20 average target price implies around a 5% upside, at the time of writing.

Analysts on TradingView are much more bullish. Of 25 analysts, 19 have a buy/strong buy rating, and another 6 rate the stock as a hold. 

But they all agree there will be some element of upside ahead. At the time of writing, the average $47.59 target price implies a potential 28% upside ahead. Whereas some are even more confident and forecast the shares to climb 50% higher to $56.05 each.

The post Down 6% today: What’s going on with the James Hardie share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• James Hardie lifts guidance and details long-term growth at 2026 Investor Day
• Buy, hold, sell: Echo IQ, James Hardie, Woolworths shares
• Experts reckon this high-flying ASX 200 blue-chip stock is a buy
• This ASX 200 stock is up 30% in 2026. Here’s why I’d still buy it
• Where I’d invest $20,000 in ASX shares this spring

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

JB Hi-Fi vs Harvey Norman shares: which dividend stock wins?

If you’re an Aussie investor eyeing retail stocks for dependable dividends, JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) and Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) quickly spring to mind. Both are household names selling consumer electronics and home essentials—but they each go about it a little differently, and their financial profiles pack in some key differences too. Comparing JB Hi-Fi vs Harvey Norman shares can help you decide which might suit your portfolio if you’re especially focused on dividend yield and income reliability. Let’s dig in.

The case for JB Hi-Fi

JB Hi-Fi is a leading specialty retailer focused mainly on consumer electronics, electrical appliances and white goods across Australia and New Zealand. Trading via JB Hi-Fi, JB Hi-Fi Home, The Good Guys and e&s, the company operates stores in shopping centres and standalone sites, with a digital presence that’s growing fast.

Notably, JB Hi-Fi offers:

• A market cap of $7.35 billion, making it significantly larger than Harvey Norman.
• A dividend yield of 5.16%, fully franked at 100%, with a history of special dividends.
• An earnings per share (EPS) of $4.467, reflecting robust underlying profitability.

JB Hi-Fi’s payout record is impressive—not only has the yield stayed attractive, its dividends have been fully franked for years, regularly delivering both interim and final (plus the occasional special) payments.

The case for Harvey Norman

Harvey Norman is best known as the powerhouse franchisor behind over 270 Harvey Norman, Domayne and Joyce Mayne stores. Its footprint isn’t limited to Australia; it stretches into New Zealand, Asia, and Europe. Uniquely, Harvey Norman also owns a hefty portfolio of properties that house many of its franchises, underpinning its balance sheet with hard assets.

Here’s where Harvey Norman stands out:

• A higher dividend yield of 7.02%, also fully franked at 100%.
• A lower P/E ratio of 9.75—suggesting shares are cheaper on earnings.
• Earnings yield of 10.26%, outpacing JB Hi-Fi.

While Harvey Norman’s market capitalisation ($5.25 billion) is smaller than JB Hi-Fi’s, it more than makes up for it with higher yield and an extensive property portfolio, providing another layer of security for income-seeking investors.

Valuation comparison

Metric	JB Hi-Fi	Harvey Norman
Market Cap	$7.35 billion	$5.25 billion
P/E Ratio	14.62	9.75
Dividend Yield	5.16% (100% franked)	7.02% (100% franked)
Dividend Per Share	$3.37	$0.26
Earnings Per Share	$4.467	$0.424
Earnings Yield	6.84%	10.26%

Harvey Norman sports a much higher yield, a lower price-to-earnings ratio and greater earnings yield, but JB Hi-Fi’s earnings and dividends per share are higher, reflecting JB Hi-Fi’s higher share price and perhaps greater operational scale.

Recent share price performance

Looking at recent momentum (prices as of mid-September 2026), both stocks have had a rocky year.

JB Hi-Fi shares have fallen -28.6% year to date, currently trading at $67.19.

Harvey Norman fared even worse, down 38.4% year to date, with shares sitting at $4.21.

In the most recent trading days, both have shown mild recoveries, but the medium-term trend has been negative for both companies—not uncommon among big-box retail shares facing tough consumer spending environments.

Which is the better buy?

If I’m choosing purely on dividend yield, Harvey Norman is the standout at 7.02%—well above JB Hi-Fi’s 5.16%. Both stocks offer fully franked dividends, which is excellent for Aussie income seekers. Harvey Norman also boasts a lower P/E and higher earnings yield, and its property ownership adds some ballast if retail trading turns rough.

On the other hand, JB Hi-Fi has demonstrated remarkable earnings power per share, a proven record of both ordinary and special dividends, and simply dwarfs Harvey Norman on a per-share dividend basis, even if its headline yield is lower due to a high share price.

Both companies have had a rough run lately, but Harvey Norman’s share price has fallen more steeply—potentially making that big yield even more attractive, but also possibly reflecting some market concern.

If I had to place my chips, I’d lean toward Harvey Norman solely for the yield and value metrics, especially if I wanted maximum income right now. But for consistency, payout reliability, and a stronger track record of per-share earnings, my confidence would sway toward JB Hi-Fi over the long term. It’s very close—and I couldn’t fault an investor for favouring either, but for a high franked yield in today’s market, my pick would be Harvey Norman.

The post JB Hi-Fi vs Harvey Norman: Which dividend stock wins? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields
• Top 3 ASX 200 shares now below their 200-day moving average
• JB Hi-Fi, GPT Group, Charter Hall shares hit 52-week low: Is there any chance of a rebound?
• Why the ASX 200 just hit a 6-week low

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in Neurizon Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: NUZ) are down about 45% over the past 12 months, but according to the team at Morgans, there is potentially good upside in the stock.

Key hire a positive sign

Morgans has just released a new research report on the company and reiterated its bullish share price target on the company, which I’ll get to shortly.

The broker has revisited Neurizon because the company released three news announcements in quick succession earlier this month.

Arguably, the most impactful of these was the hiring of a new Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chris Bremer, who has more than 20 years’ leadership experience spanning drug development, portfolio strategy, commercialisation, and business development.

Neurizon said that during his career, Dr Bremer had been involved in more than US$1 billion worth of licensing transactions.

The company said:

He has extensive experience guiding pharmaceutical assets from early development through to product launch and lifecycle management, as well as evaluating and executing licensing and strategic partnership transactions. His appointment comes as Neurizon advances NUZ-001 through Regimen I of the registrational Phase 2/3 HEALEY ALS Platform Trial and enters the important period leading up to topline results, expected in late Q2 CY2027. His combination of scientific, medical, commercial and transactional experience is particularly relevant as the Company prepares for the potential regulatory, development and strategic pathways that may follow and seeks to create long term shareholder value.

Neurizon’s lead investigational therapy, NUZ-001, is being evaluated as a treatment for ALS in 250 participants.

The company said its priorities “include disciplined execution of the clinical program through to topline results, continued regulatory … readiness, further development of the scientific evidence supporting NUZ-001, and preparation for potential development, partnering and commercial pathways, subject to the outcomes of the study”.

Shares looking cheap according to Morgans

Morgans said they saw Dr Bremer’s hiring as a signal that the company was looking to find development partners.

They said:

The company is unlikely to recruit a US$1bn-plus licensing operator two quarters from a registrational readout unless the Board is building toward that outcome as the preferred path. Dr Bremer has worked both sides of the licensing fence, inbound and outbound, so his skillset should be useful in structuring the dataroom, shaping the partnering process and negotiating economics if the topline result is positive.

Morgans has a price target on Neurizon of 20 cents per share compared to the current share price of 7.5 cents.

Their totally unrisked valuation is $1.50 per share, while should the clinical trial be a failure, the valuation drops to 1 to 2 cents.

Neurizon is valued at $59.4 million.    

The post Could this ASX biotech really jump more than 150%? One broker thinks so appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why did the Bitcoin price just plunge 6%?
• How much passive income could I earn from a $650,000 superannuation balance?
• Down 6% today: What’s going on with the James Hardie share price?
• JB Hi-Fi vs Harvey Norman: Which dividend stock wins?
• Why this ASX share is a retiree’s dream for FY27

Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The ASX share Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW) looks to me like a top pick for retirees and anyone wanting passive income.

Commercial property typically offers a much higher rental yield than residential property, allowing it to provide investors with attractive passive income.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are the structure that allows investors to invest in commercial property on the ASX.

For me, Charter Hall Long WALE REIT is one of the leading picks for retirees for a number of reasons.

Diversification

The business can offer investors significant diversification because it’s invested across a number of key defensive tenant industries that are supposedly resilient to economic shocks.

It’s invested in areas that have tenants across government areas (like Geosciences Australia), hotels, grocery and distribution, telecommunications exchanges, data centres, service stations, banking and professional services, food manufacturing, healthcare, Bunnings properties, and more.

To be able to make one investment and get exposure to all of those sectors sounds appealing to me.

In terms of the quality of tenants, the organisations that account for at least 5% of revenue include government entities, Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), BP, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS).

The tenants are signed on for long-term contracts, giving investors long-term income security. Charter Hall Long WALE REIT currently has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of around nine years, which is a comforting length of time for retirees.

Ongoing rental growth

A REIT is not a term deposit; it’s capable of delivering growth for investors.

The business has rental growth built into its contracts, which is a good tailwind for both rising property values and increasing the distribution over time.

Some of the properties have rental income growth linked to inflation, while the rest have fixed annual increases. This combination helped the business achieve average annual net property income growth of 3.1% in FY26.

I think rising rental income is a key factor that helped the business report a 2.6% year-over-year improvement in net tangible assets (NTA) during FY26.

Strong passive income yield

The business has a very generous distribution payout ratio of 100% of its rental earnings, giving investors a large yield.

It’s also trading at a large discount to its underlying value – the NTA was $4.71 as of 30 June 2026. That means it’s trading at a 28% discount, which is enormous for a high-quality REIT, in my view.

The ASX share expects to pay an annual distribution of 25.5 cents per security in FY27, which translates into a distribution yield of 7.5%. I think that’s very appealing, and I’d happily buy some units if I were a retiree.

The post Why this ASX share is a retiree’s dream for FY27 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How to make $26,000 of passive income from ASX shares
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $6,500 monthly passive income?
• How much superannuation is needed to target $5,500 per month in passive income?
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $70,000 annual passive income?
• 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended BP. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

With proposed changes to Australian tax laws on negative gearing and capital gains, ASX shares with large dividend yields could be much more appealing to investors.

I think there’s something very satisfying about seeing cash paid into my bank account regularly by ASX dividend shares. If we choose the right investments, Aussies can enjoy larger dividend payments over time.

Huge dividend yields of more than 10% aren’t seen as safe payouts. There’s normally a reason the yield is that high – earnings may soon fall and/or the dividend payout ratio is too high.

But there are a couple of names that are providing investors with dividend yields of more than 10%, and those payouts may well be sustainable going forward. I’m a fan of the two names below.

Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG)

This ASX share describes itself as an Australian and New Zealand specialty retailer of male and female personal grooming products, and aspires to be the market leader in ‘all things related to hair removal’.

It currently has 127 stores across Australia and New Zealand, selling a wide range of quality products at competitive prices. Thanks to its position in the market, it has managed to negotiate exclusive products with certain suppliers.

The main product types it sells are electric shavers, clippers, trimmers, and wet shave items. It also sells other items, including oral care, hair care, massage, air treatment, and beauty categories.

The business trades on a low P/E ratio and has a generous dividend payout ratio, leading to an impressive dividend yield. It generated 11.3 cents of earnings per share (EPS) in FY26 and paid an annual dividend per share of 10.3 cents.

Its FY26 payout translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 11.4%, which is an excellent yield considering the payout has grown or been maintained every year since 2017.

I think the move to grow its own brand, called Transform-U, is smart because it fills gaps in the company’s overall product offering, provides compelling customer value, and can lead to a stronger gross profit margin. Transform-U represented 8% of total sales in FY26, up from 3.4% in FY25.

Hearts and Minds Investments Ltd (ASX: HM1)

The other ASX share I want to highlight with a huge dividend yield is Hearts and Minds, a listed investment company (LIC) with a philanthropic cause.

Instead of paying management fees to fund managers, the LIC donates a small portion of its net assets each year to medical research in Australia. I think that’s a great initiative.

The portfolio is decided in two different ways. A majority of the portfolio is invested by a group of core portfolio managers on an ongoing basis.

The rest of the portfolio’s picks are decided at an annual investment conference. Investment professionals pitch their best pick, and each of those is also part of the portfolio.

Most of the portfolio is normally invested in global shares, which can provide Aussies with useful diversification.

The LIC has grown its half-yearly dividend by 0.5 cents every six months in recent history. Assuming it continues that record, the next two dividends to be paid will amount to 20.5 cents per share, which is a grossed-up dividend yield of 10.4%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 10% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $6,500 monthly passive income?
• How much superannuation is needed to target $5,500 per month in passive income?
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $70,000 annual passive income?
• How much is needed in superannuation to target a $60,000 annual passive income?
• 2 ASX shares with dividend yields above 9.5%

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Hearts And Minds Investments. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Shaver Shop Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.